Revolving door speed control and hanger mechanism

ABSTRACT

A revolving door installation wherein the speed control and hanger mechanism are mounted in the ceiling and floor of the entranceway.

United States Patent H 1 [111 3,897,651

Sheckells 1 Aug. 5, I975 [54} REVOLVING DOOR SPEED CONTROL AND 2,906,l439/1959 M6556: 74/640 HANGER MECHANISM 3,128.64l 4/l964 Musser 74/6401736.701 6/1973 Rush 8121i. 49/44 n r: m l h k ll n ll Ind 3,766,68610/1973 Sheckells 49/43 [73] Assignee: International Steel Company,

Evansvllle Primary E.\aminerKenneth Downey [22] Filed: Oct. 19, 1973Arrorney, Agent, or Firm-Brady, OBoyle & Gates [21] Appl. No; 407,845

[52] US. Cl 49/43; 49/44 [57] ABSTRACT [5|] lnt. Cl. E05D 15/02 [58]Field of Search 49/42, 43. 46, 44; 74/640 A revolving door installationwherein the speed control and hanger mechanism are mounted in theceiling [56} References Cited and floor of the entranceway UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,030547 2/l936 Shields et a] .i 49/44 10 Claims, 7 DrawingFigures l5 5 LU 2o ,20 A 1 281: am 31 2| 3- 1 I0 33 254/ so 28b 31 H 24Te, 3i 2x a I I;

I? i l2 4 '14 4/4" am H44 -4si 1 3s Al I i i N E I 9 58 J E 35?REVOLVING DOOR SPEED CONTROL AND HANGER MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The speed control and hanger mechanism employed in therevolving door installation of the present invention are similar to thespeed control and hanger mechanism disclosed in my US. Pat. No.3,766,686 dated Oct. 23, I973; however, the revolving door installationof the present invention differs from the installation of theabove-mentioned patent in that the speed control and hanger mechanism ofthe instant invention are mounted in the ceiling and floor of therevolving door installation; whereas, in the above-mentioned patent, thespeed control is mounted within the center shaft and the hangermechanism for each wing of the revolving door is connected to the centershaft.

By the construction and arrangement of the revolving door installationof the present invention, the center shaft for the revolving door iseliminated, and the speed control and hanger mechanism for each wing ofthe revolving door are mounted in the ceiling and floor of theentranceway, thereby maintaining the low-profile characteristics of therevolving door installation in accordance with todays architecturaldesigns.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view ofthe revolving door installation of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the revolving doormechanism taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a modification ofthe assembly shown in FIG, 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, and more particularly toFIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the revolving door installation of the presentinvention comprises four wings I extending between the ceiling 2 andfloor 3 of an entranceway, each wing including a glass pane 1a having ametal peripheral frame lb, the upper and lower horizontal portions ofthe wing frame having shafts 4 and 5 splined thereto and extendingvertically into the ceiling and floor, respectively, of the doorinstallation. Each of the door wing shafts 4 and S is connected to arespective hanger mechanism designated generally by 6 and 7 disposed inthe ceiling and floor, to be described more fully hereinafter.

The speed control is also mounted in the ceiling and consists of a speedreducer substantially of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,906,143to Musser dated Sept. 29, 1959, the speed control comprising a shaft 8having an elliptical bearing 9 mounted on one end thereof. The outerrace of the elliptical bearing is received within the bore of athin-walled normally cylindrical cup 10 having a plurality of splineteeth II on the exterior thereof around the open end of the cup.

A rotatable internally toothed ring gear 12 surrounds the open endportion of the cup 10 and intermittently engages at two opposingpositions with the teeth of the deflectable cup 11 to thereby rotate theelliptical hearing 9. The ring gear 12 is secured to the lower end of asleeve 13 by screws 14, the upper end of the sleeve being rotatablymounted on a fixed base 15 by an antifriction bearing 16. The screws 14are also employed for securing a cover plate 17 to the ring gear 12, thecover plate also supporting an anti-friction bearing 18 in which thelower end of shaft 8 is mounted. The upper end of the shaft 8 issimilarly mounted in the base I5 by anti-friction bearing I9, and theclosed end of the cup 10 is secured to the base by screws 20.

The upper end of each door wing is connected to the rotatable ring gearI2 and associated sleeve 13 by the hanger assembly 6; thus, as the doorwing is pushed to revolve the door, the ring gear I2 will rotaterelative to the cup 10. During this rotation. the wall of the cup [0 isdeflected in and out causing the elliptical bearing 9 to rotate tothereby rotate shaft 8.

In order to limit the speed of rotation of the revolving door, acentrifugal brake assembly is connected to shaft 8 and comprises a pairof oppositely extending, semicircular shoes 21 having friction linings22, the shoes being contained inside a depending cup'like drum 23 whosebottom wall is fixedly secured by the screws 20 to the base I5 and thecup 10. The brake shoes 2I are connected to shaft 8 by transverse pins24 extending through the shaft, the shoes being slidably mounted on thepins through radial guide openings 25 provided in the shoes. Duringrotation of the shaft 8, centrifugal force causes the brake shoes toslide radially outwardly along the guide pins until the linings 22engage the wall of the drum 23, the outward sliding movement of thebrake shoes being resisted by springs 26 mounted on bolts 27 threadedinto the shaft 8.

Each hanger assembly 6, through which the upper end of each door wing isconnected to the speed control mechanism, comprises a collar 28rotatably mounted on the sleeve 13 (FIG. 3). In order to preventrelative rotation between the collar 28 and sleeve 13 during the normaloperation of the revolving door, a detent assembly is provided whichcomprises a roller 29 positioned in a recess formed in the wall of thesleeve 13 and biased therein by a stack of Bellville springs 30 mountedin a chamber 280 formed in an arm 28b integrally connected to the collarand extending outwardly therefrom. The end of the arm 28b is closed by aset screw 31 whereby the biasing force of the Bellville springs 30against the roller 21 can be adjusted.

Another chamber 280 is provided in the arm 28 for receiving Bellvillesprings 31 biasing a detent roller 32 against a recess formed in thedoor wing shaft 4, the biasing force of the Bellville springs beingadjustable by a set screw 33 threaded into the end of chamber 28c.

As will be seen in FIG. 2, the lower end of the revolving door issupported in the floor by a stub shaft 34 having its lower end mountedin a pair of anti-friction bearings 35 positioned in a recess in thefloor; the upper end of the stub shaft is similarly mounted in a bearingassembly 36 mounted on a cover plate 37. The lower end of each door wingis connected to the stub shaft 34 by a collar 38 rotatably mounted onthe stub shaft but held against rotation relative to the shaft by adetent roller 39 biased into engagement with a recess provided in thestub shaft by a stack of Bellville springs 40 mounted in a chamber 38aformed in an arm 38b integrally connected to the collar and extendingradially therefrom. The Bellville springs also bias a roller 41 radiallyoutwardly into engagement with a recess provided in the door wing shaft5.

In the construction and arrangement of the upper and lower hangermechanisms 6 and 7, respectively, the upper hanger mechanism includesthe four hanger collars 28 mounted in stacked concentric relation forthe four wings of the door, the lower hanger mechanism also having thefour hanger collars 38 each of which corresponds to a respective uppercollar, whereby each door wing is supported by a respective pair ofcollars 28 and 38. Furthermore. each collar 28 and 38 has the respectivearms 28b and 38b projecting therefrom, the arms 28b of collars 28 andthe corresponding arms 38b of collars 38 are spaced 90 circumferentiallyfrom the arms of the collars immediately above and below, whereby theproper circumferential spacing of the door wings is established.

In the normal operation of the revolving door. a person desiring to passthrough the cntranceway, within which the revolving door is mounted,enters the door enclosure in the usual manner and by pushing on the doorwing causes the wings and associated ring gear 12 to rotate relative tothe cup I0. The meshing of certain teeth of the ring gear withcorresponding teeth on the cup causes the elliptical bearing 9 to rotatewhich in turn causes the shaft 8 to rotate. When the revolving of thedoor causes the shaft 8 to rotate above a predetermined RPM, thecentrifugal brake assembly is actuated to limit the speed of rotation ofthe shaft 8 and conse quently the door wings.

Under normal operating conditions, the spring biased detent rollers 29and 32 maintain a rigid connection between the door wings and therotating ring gear 12 and associated sleeve I3, and the detent rollers39 and 41 maintain a rigid connection between the door wings and thestub shaft 34. However, under panic conditions or when it is desired tofold the wings to the collapsed position. a sufficient torque is appliedto each wing causing release of detent rollers 29 thereby allowing thecollars 28 to rotate relative to the ring I2 and sleeve l3, whilesimultaneously causing release of detent rollers 39 thereby allowing thecollars 38 to rotate relative to the stub shaft 34. Detent rollers 32and 41 also release the shafts 4 and 5, whereby the door wings pivotrelative to the arms 28b and 38b. By this construction and arrangement,the four wings are allowed to yield under torque loading and collapseinto compact parallelism.

In order to insure the synchronous rotation of shaft 34 with shaft 8,and to insure that an equal torque is ap plied to the top and bottom ofeach door wing during the folding thereof, particularly in largeentranceways requiring relatively long door wings, it is desirable toprovide a relatively long thin center shaft 42 (FIG. 7) connectedbetween the speed control shaft 8 in the ceiling and the stub shaft 34in the floor. The speed control mechanism and hanger assemblies for therevolving door installation shown in FIG. 7 are identical to those shownin FIGS. l to 6.

While the speed control mechanism employed in the revolving doorinstallation of the present invention has been described for use withmanually actuated revolving doors, the installation lends itself equallywell to assemblies wherein the door wings are driven by a motorconnected to the speed control mechanism through a flexible shaft and asuitable clutch assembly of the type shown and described in my U.S. Pat.Nos. 3,349,876 and 3,766,686. In the instant installation, the motor,

flexible shaft and clutch assembly would be mounted within the ceilingwith the speed control mechanism.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used asterms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention,in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalentsof the features shown and described or portions thereof but it isrecognized that various modifications are possible within the scope ofthe invention claimed.

I claim:

1. A revolving door installation comprising a plurality of door wingspositioned between the floor and ceiling of an cntranceway, each doorwing including a peripheral frame having vertical and horizontalportions, a first stub shaft means rotatably mounted within a recessprovided in the ceiling, a second stub shaft means rotatably mountedwithin a recess provided in the floor, upper ring means rotatablymounted on said first stub shaft means above the ceiling and lower ringmeans rotatably mounted on said second stub shaft means below the floorin coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective upper andlower ring for supporting each door wing on said first and second stubshaft means, first detent means connected between said upper ring andsaid first stub shaft means and between said lower ring and said secondstub shaft means whereby under normal operating conditions said upperand lower rings rotate with said first and second stub shaft means, afirst wing shaft having one end fixedly connected to the horizontal topportion of said peripheral frame and the other end extending upwardlyand rotatably connected in said upper ring, a second wing shaft havingone end fixedly connected to the horizontal bottom portion of saidperipheral frame and the other end extending downwardly and rotatablyconnected in said lower ring, second detent means connected between saidupper ring and said first wing shaft and between said lower ring andsaid second wing shaft whereby under normal operating conditions saiddoor wings are held in operative radiating position and rotate with saidupper and lower rings, the combination of said first and second detentmeans and the door wing operative under normal operating condition toprevent rotation of said first stub shaft means relative to said secondstub shaft means, and said first and second detent means beingreleasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wingsallowing the upper and lower ring means to rotate relative to the firstand second stub shaft means and the door wings to pivot relative to theupper and lower ring means whereby the door wings are collapsed intocompact parallelism.

2. A revolving door installation as set forth in claim 1 including aspeed control mechanism mounted within one of said first or second stubshaft means.

3. A revolving door installation as set forth in claim 1 in which saidfirst stub shaft means comprises a speed control mechanism rotatablymounted with a recess in the ceiling.

4. A revolving door installation as set forth in claim 3 in which saidspeed control mechanism and said second stub shaft means are disposedparallel to said first and second wing shafts, and a center shaftconnected between the bottom of said speed control mechanism and saidsecond stub shaft means and being disposed parallel to the verticallyextending edge portion of the door wing.

5. A revolving door installation as set forth in claim 1 including aradial knuckle provided on each of said upper and lower rings, anaperture in said radial knuckle rotatably receiving the respective wingshaft, and said second detent means connected in the plane of said ringand normally bridging the aperture between said wing shaft and ring toreleasably lock said door wings in operative radiating position relativeto said rings.

6. A revolving door installation according to claim 3, wherein the speedcontrol mechanism comprises a rotatable gear connected to the upper ringmeans. a fixed coacting deflectable gear mounted within the ceilingrecess and positioned to engage the first-named gear, eccentric couplingmeans connected to said deflectable gear whereby upon rotation of saidfirst-named gear by said door wings a traveling deflection wave iscreated around the deflectable gear to thereby cause rotation of saideccentric coupling means, and a centrifugal brake assembly connected tosaid eccentric coupling means.

7. A revolving door installation according to claim 6, wherein saidfirst-named gear comprises an internally toothed ring gear, saiddeflectable gear being a thinwalled cup-like gear disposed inside ofsaid ring gear and having external teeth adapted to mesh with the ringgear teeth, and said centrifugal brake assembly including radiallyexpansible brake shoes and a brake drum arranged inside of said cup-likedeflectable gear.

8. A revolving door installation according to claim 7, wherein theeccentric coupling means comprises an elliptical element positionedinside said cup-like gear, and a shaft connected between said ellipticalelement and said brake shoes.

9. A revolving door installation according to claim 3, wherein the firstdetent means comprises, a roller positioned in said upper ring andengaging the speed control mechanism and a roller positioned in saidlower ring and engaging said second stub shaft. and spring means mountedwithin said upper and lower rings biasing said rollers against saidspeed control mechanism and second stub shaft respectively. said seconddetent means comprising second rollers engaging said first and secondwing shafts and second spring means contained within said upper andlower rings biasing said second rollers against said wing shafts.

10. A revolving door installation according to claim 1, wherein saidfirst detent means comprises a roller positioned in each of said upperand lower rings and engaging said first and second stub shaft means;said sec- 0nd detent means comprising a second roller contained withineach of said upper and lower rings and engaging the first and secondwing shafts, and spring means mounted within said upper and lower ringsfor biasing said first and second rollers against the stub shaft meansand wing shafts respectively.

1. A revolving door installation comprising a plurality of door wingspositioned between the floor and ceiling of an entranceway, each doorwing including a peripheral frame having vertical and horizontalportions, a first stub shaft means rotatably mounted within a recessprovided in the ceiling, a second stub shaft means rotatably mountedwithin a recess provided in the floor, upper ring means rotatablymounted on said firsT stub shaft means above the ceiling and lower ringmeans rotatably mounted on said second stub shaft means below the floorin coaxial relationship therewith comprising a respective upper andlower ring for supporting each door wing on said first and second stubshaft means, first detent means connected between said upper ring andsaid first stub shaft means and between said lower ring and said secondstub shaft means whereby under normal operating conditions said upperand lower rings rotate with said first and second stub shaft means, afirst wing shaft having one end fixedly connected to the horizontal topportion of said peripheral frame and the other end extending upwardlyand rotatably connected in said upper ring, a second wing shaft havingone end fixedly connected to the horizontal bottom portion of saidperipheral frame and the other end extending downwardly and rotatablyconnected in said lower ring, second detent means connected between saidupper ring and said first wing shaft and between said lower ring andsaid second wing shaft whereby under normal operating conditions saiddoor wings are held in operative radiating position and rotate with saidupper and lower rings, the combination of said first and second detentmeans and the door wing operative under normal operating condition toprevent rotation of said first stub shaft means relative to said secondstub shaft means, and said first and second detent means beingreleasable when a predetermined torque is applied to the door wingsallowing the upper and lower ring means to rotate relative to the firstand second stub shaft means and the door wings to pivot relative to theupper and lower ring means whereby the door wings are collapsed intocompact parallelism.
 2. A revolving door installation as set forth inclaim 1 including a speed control mechanism mounted within one of saidfirst or second stub shaft means.
 3. A revolving door installation asset forth in claim 1 in which said first stub shaft means comprises aspeed control mechanism rotatably mounted with a recess in the ceiling.4. A revolving door installation as set forth in claim 3 in which saidspeed control mechanism and said second stub shaft means are disposedparallel to said first and second wing shafts, and a center shaftconnected between the bottom of said speed control mechanism and saidsecond stub shaft means and being disposed parallel to the verticallyextending edge portion of the door wing.
 5. A revolving doorinstallation as set forth in claim 1 including a radial knuckle providedon each of said upper and lower rings, an aperture in said radialknuckle rotatably receiving the respective wing shaft, and said seconddetent means connected in the plane of said ring and normally bridgingthe aperture between said wing shaft and ring to releasably lock saiddoor wings in operative radiating position relative to said rings.
 6. Arevolving door installation according to claim 3, wherein the speedcontrol mechanism comprises a rotatable gear connected to the upper ringmeans, a fixed coacting deflectable gear mounted within the ceilingrecess and positioned to engage the first-named gear, eccentric couplingmeans connected to said deflectable gear whereby upon rotation of saidfirst-named gear by said door wings a traveling deflection wave iscreated around the deflectable gear to thereby cause rotation of saideccentric coupling means, and a centrifugal brake assembly connected tosaid eccentric coupling means.
 7. A revolving door installationaccording to claim 6, wherein said first-named gear comprises aninternally toothed ring gear, said deflectable gear being a thin-walledcup-like gear disposed inside of said ring gear and having externalteeth adapted to mesh with the ring gear teeth, and said centrifugalbrake assembly including radially expansible brake shoes and a brakedrum arranged inside of said cup-like deflectable gear.
 8. A revolvingdoor installation according to claim 7, wherein the eccentric couplIngmeans comprises an elliptical element positioned inside said cup-likegear, and a shaft connected between said elliptical element and saidbrake shoes.
 9. A revolving door installation according to claim 3,wherein the first detent means comprises, a roller positioned in saidupper ring and engaging the speed control mechanism and a rollerpositioned in said lower ring and engaging said second stub shaft, andspring means mounted within said upper and lower rings biasing saidrollers against said speed control mechanism and second stub shaftrespectively, said second detent means comprising second rollersengaging said first and second wing shafts and second spring meanscontained within said upper and lower rings biasing said second rollersagainst said wing shafts.
 10. A revolving door installation according toclaim 1, wherein said first detent means comprises a roller positionedin each of said upper and lower rings and engaging said first and secondstub shaft means; said second detent means comprising a second rollercontained within each of said upper and lower rings and engaging thefirst and second wing shafts, and spring means mounted within said upperand lower rings for biasing said first and second rollers against thestub shaft means and wing shafts respectively.